Three dimensional magnetic field computation by a coupled vector-scalar potential method in brushless DC motors with skewed permanent magnet mounts-the formulation and FE grids

A three dimensional finite element (3D-FE) method for the computation of global distributions of 3D magnetic fields in electric machines containing permanent magnets is presented. The formulation of this 3D-FE method including 3D permanent magnet modeling, which is based on a coupled magnetic vector potential-magnetic scalar potential (CMVP-MSP) approach, is given. The development of the necessary 3D-FE grids and algorithms for the application of the method to an example brushless DC motor, whose field is three dimensional due to the skewed permanent magnet mounts on its rotor, is also given here. A complete set of results of application of the method to the computation of the global 3D field distributions and associated motor parameters under no-load and load conditions are detailed in a companion paper